The students met little Danilson while visiting an orphanage last summer in Guatemala.

"The sister who runs the orphanage said they took him to doctors and nurses and specialists in Guatemala, and no one could figure out what was wrong with him," Megan Friday said. "My students just fell in love with this little guy and wanted to help out."

Danilson's temporary guardian, Jean Gabor, said the boy was rapidly losing his eyesight and hearing.

"The doctors at Children's Hospital said without surgeries he would lose whatever eyesight he has and eventually lose his actual eyes," Gabor said.

The goal is to help raise enough money to pay for his $24,000 surgeries.

"Last week we had a Mass, and he came to our school for our 7:20 Mass. When the girls saw him, they just burst into tears," Friday said.

"I just burst into tears, and all my friends were already crying," student Leah McCarthy said. "It's just two different worlds colliding into one and I'm just s glad he's here."

"They just couldn't believe we had seen him six months ago in Guatemala, and now he's here in Pittsburgh and he is going to get help and things like this don't happen," Friday said.

Danilson is being treated by pediatric experts at Children's Hospital.